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Mogrify introduces platform to identify epigenetic switches driving cell identity and cell maintenance

Mogrify

EpiMOGRIFY supports the development of scalable off-the-shelf cell therapies for diseases with a high unmet clinical need

12 Oct 2020
Diane Li
Assistant Editor

Product news

Mogrify Limited (Mogrify®), a UK company aiming to transform the development of ex vivo cell therapies and pioneer the field of in vivo reprogramming therapies, has announced the introduction of EpiMOGRIFY. The platform models the epigenetic state of the cell to predict the switches important for cell identity, cell maintenance, directed differentiation and cell conversion.

EpiMOGRIFY is an extension of the Company’s proprietary direct cellular conversion technology, MOGRIFY®, and enables the identification of the optimal culture conditions required to maintain cells in chemically defined media. This can be applied in cGMP manufacture and enhances directed differentiation or cell conversion to support the development of scalable off-the-shelf therapies for diseases with a high unmet clinical need.

EpiMOGRIFY combines gene-regulatory information with a model of a cell’s epigenetic landscape and leverages changes in the level of DNA-histone methylation (H3K4me3 modifications). The platform utilizes data from more than 100 human cell/tissue types (available via the ENCODE and Epigenome Roadmap consortia) to accurately define culture conditions that can maintain the cell identity or induce cell conversion.

The EpiMOGRIFY platform, patent and know-how were co-developed and are co-owned by Duke-NUS (Enrico Pettreto, Associate Professor and Owen Rackham, Assistant Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School), Monash University (Jose Polo, Professor at Monash University) and Mogrify. The research underpinning this novel computational approach has recently been published in Cell Systems* (Kamaraj et al., 2020).

Owen Rackham, PhD, Assistant Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, and Co-founder and CTO, Mogrify, said: “Building on our development of the Mogrify technology to identify transcriptomic switches for cell conversion, this new technology published in Cell Systems adds an important layer of epigenetic specificity in our continuous search to drive cell identity with an increasing level of control. The ability to systematically identify the optimal culture conditions, closely mimicking the in vivo microenvironment, will enable scientists to convert and maintain any cell type more efficiently and with even greater accuracy.”

The predictive power of EpiMOGRIFY has been validated in two ways: cell maintenance and differentiation. EpiMOGRIFY-predicted factors are able to maintain astrocytes and cardiomyocytes in vitro in chemically defined media and promote the generation of astrocytes and cardiomyocytes from neural progenitors and embryonic stem cells, respectively. In both cell maintenance and differentiation, EpiMOGRIFY defined conditions performed as well or better in all cases when compared to existing undefined conditions, significantly increasing cell growth and survival, as well as resulting in a higher differentiation efficiency.

Julian Gough, PhD, Co-founder and CSO, Mogrify, said: “The co-development and successful validation of this technology is a testament to our commitment to work with Mogrify’s founding laboratories and support the continuous innovation in the field of cellular reprogramming. This represents a unique opportunity to transform the development of existing cell therapies and will become instrumental in our bid to engineer scalable off-the-shelf therapies for diseases with a high unmet clinical need.”

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Cell / Tissue CultureCell culture or tissue culture is used to study the biology of cells or tissues and to isolate cellular products in an environment which can be manipulated and well defined. Accurately control your culture environment with bioreactors or culture incubators, bind your cells to a surface or together with an extracellular matrix. Distinguish cell types with differential media or proliferate cells with certain characteristics using selective media. Enrich your media with supplements such as growth factors, sera and vitamins. Find the best cell and tissue culture products, kits and equipment in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Cell Lines Stem Cells and Primary CellsPrimary cell cultures, established cell lines and stem cells are vital for <i>in vitro</i> and <i>ex vivo</i> experimentation. High-quality cells, optimized for your applications, alongside optimized cell substrates, growth medium and supplements, are critical for experimental success. Explore a range of cells suitable for your applications, including isogenic cell lines, competent cells, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cell lines, fungal/bacterial/mammalian cell lines, stem cells and cancer cell lines. Find the best cells for your research in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Biopharmaceutical AdvancesBiopharmaceutical advances follow the development of pharmaceuticals derived from biotechnology, also known as biotechnology medicines. Biopharmaceuticals may be produced from cell lines, plants, or microbial cells. Important considerations of biopharmaceutical use include application, cost, production process and purification.Clinical ChemistryBiochemistry (or clinical chemistry) involves the analysis of bodily fluids using chemical tests. Techniques used include HPLC, chromatography, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, immunochemical, electrophoresis, turbidometric / spectrophotometric assay, MRI and ISE analysis. Tests are often carried out on plasma or serum but urine (urinalysis) and fecal specimens are also processed.Clinical GeneticsMolecular Genetics covers the analysis of hereditary genetic disease and chromosomal abnormalities. Genetics can be analysed using DNA, RNA, and protein microarrays, PCR, RT PCR and DNA sequencing. Genetic equipment includes genetic workstations, thermal cyclers, cooling blocks and electrophoresis products. Diagnostic kits are used for DNA / RNA extraction and purification.Clinical MicrobiologyMicrobiology is the study of microorganisms including protists, prokaryotes, fungi, and, often, viruses. Microorganisms are a useful research tool as genetic vectors and, in immunology, for antibiotic susceptibility testing, cellular biology and genetics. Microorganisms commonly grow readily in incubators with microbial culture media; this can contain chromogenic supplements to differentiate between cell lines. Estimate your culture’s density of microorganisms with colony counters, or screen and select colonies for desirable clones with automated colony pickers. Additionally, equipment is available to monitor environments for the presence of microbes and identify with microbial identification instruments. Find the best microbiology products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Epigenetic AnalysisEpigenetic analysis products are used to study heritable phenotype changes that do not alter the DNA sequence, such as DNA modifications affecting gene activity. Determine whether genes have been methylated with DNA methylation quantification kits or methylation microarrays. Assess epigenetic regulation with histone modification kits or ChIP-on-chip microarrays. Kits are also available for bisulfite conversion and amplification of your samples, as well as epigenomic library preparation kits for next-generation sequencing (NGS). Find the best epigenetic products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Cell ViabilityCell viability assays assess the health of cells and their ability to proliferate. These tests are crucial in drug development, toxicity testing, and cell-based research. Common methods for assessing viability include MTT, live/dead assays, and flow cytometry. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find the best tools for cell viability assays, compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Cell AnalysisThe analysis of cells allows researchers to understand the factors which contribute to cell health and function. These influencing processes can then be predicted and altered, leading to the development of medication and disease treatments.Cell TherapyCell therapy involves using living cells to treat diseases, often by replacing damaged cells or stimulating regeneration. Stem cell therapy and CAR-T cell therapy are examples of cutting-edge treatments in regenerative medicine and cancer immunotherapy. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find the best cell therapy tools, compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Single Cell AnalysisSingle-cell analysis involves studying individual cells to gain insights into their behavior, gene expression, and function. This approach is valuable in cancer research, stem cell biology, and immunology. Explore single-cell analysis products in our peer-reviewed product directory; compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Cell GrowthCell growth refers to the process by which cells increase in size and number. It is essential for tissue development, wound healing, and cancer research. Understanding and controlling cell growth is a fundamental part of cell biology and regenerative medicine. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find the best tools for studying cell growth, compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Cell BiologyCell biology studies the structure, function, and behavior of cells. Understanding cellular processes is essential for research in areas such as cancer biology, stem cell research, and neurobiology. Techniques like flow cytometry, microscopy, and cell culture enable researchers to explore cellular mechanisms in detail. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find the best cell biology tools and equipment, compare products, check customer reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Clinical Genetics

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Mogrify introduces platform to identify epigenetic switches driving cell identity and cell maintenance